1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions that are moldable from the molten state into useful shaped articles and which comprise a thermotropic polymer and an inorganic reinforcing filler especially adapted to such thermotropic polymer. This invention also relates to the articles, per se, shaped from the subject compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A progressively increasing interest in thermotropic polymers has been developing for about the last decade. This interest is associated with the fact that these polymers are capable of forming anisotropic melts which have a proper orientation and a relatively high degree of organization. Such orientation and organization also exist in the articles molded therefrom, providing them (even in the raw state) with improved mechanical properties (especially in respect of flexural modulus and strength), which are not usually observed in isotropic raw products. However, under certain circumstances, a disadvantage arises in objects molded from an anisotropic melt, namely, the imbalance (or anisotropy) between the longitudinal properties (in the direction of the melt flow, which is, for example, the direction of injection in the case of injection molding) and the transverse properties (in the direction perpendicular to that of the flow).
It is also known to this art to reduce the anisotropy of polymeric materials by the addition of inorganic fillers thereto.